CompusomniaMar 18, 2023
Brent Toderian

“Electric cars are still cars. The focus on electric cars stands in the way of truly transformative change: better public transit and better laid-out cities that encourage active modes of getting around, such as cycling.”

Fewer (& smaller) cars, less driving, more choices, better cities.

#cities #urbanism #cars #EVs #bikes #transit

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-electric-cars-emissions-climate-change/

No, electric cars are not the magic pill to save us from climate change

The Liberals are under pressure to match the U.S. in pledging billions in subsidies for electric cars, but such vehicles are not the panacea

The Globe and Mail
Mar 16, 2023 at 4:12pmWeb
Show threadMike FraserMar 16, 2023
@BrentToderian I think small cities within big cities is the way to go. I live in New Westminster part of metro Vancouver. It has a small downtown and a small uptown. It has density with new 40 story high rises but also has detached housing neighborhoods. It's home to 70,000 people within a metro area of 2 million. You could realistically walk across it's width in an afternoon. I own a bitchin car but ride an electric scooter to work.
Show threadMike FraserMar 16, 2023
@BrentToderian 2) I know most other parents in our sports associations, etc and frequently run into them. It's a small town feel but I have the benefits of a large urban center. I think I just described the fediverse of urban planning lol..
Show threadPeter ButlerMar 16, 2023

@BrentToderian I remember an article from the mid-1990s, maybe in Harper’s Bazaar (I was abstracting periodicals at the time) …. it was something like “You Don’t Need to Give Up Your SUV to Save the Planet.”

Electric cars always remind me of it.

I disagree with those who say it will take decades and billions. If the intent is there, it can happen quickly and some policies will save us money.

Show threadBrian ClausMar 18, 2023
@BrentToderian I take the point, but these reductionist arguments are bit tired. We can do more than one thing at once. The scope of the challenge demands it. Yes, we need to aggressively scale up alternative modes of transport. Yes, personal EVs are still a part of the transportation transition equation. These are still only a small part of the larger efforts necessary for full decarbonization.
Show threadHeskieMar 18, 2023
@BrentToderian
The clue to the inherent bias in this post is the hashtag #urbanism
About 40% of the world's population live in rural areas.
There are no magic pills to our problems, simple "solutions" to complexity are the stuff of #dictatorship and #populism.
Show threadDavid Penfold Mar 20, 2023

@BrentToderian that doesn't really work for rural populations though.

My 2013 Zoë is great for well over 90% of my transport requirements.

Show threadMr E McKissockMar 21, 2023

@BrentToderian

Meanwhile in London:
https://road.cc/content/news/bikes-most-popular-transport-mode-city-roads-299693

When it becomes harder to use cars, people will change. Even when I lived in London (early 90s) driving was miserable. It once took me 2 hours to drive 8 miles (roughly 13km).

The tube system there was considered more effective - it still took my wife nearly two hours to get to work, and yet that was better than driving.

Bicycles become most popular mode of transport on City of London roads

It is also the only way of getting around the Square Mile that has recovered to pre-pandemic levels according to new report

road.cc